Roller skate and ski combination scooter



Oct. 20, 1964 L. L. MAGYA-R 3,153,543

ROLLER SKATE AND SKI COMBINATION SCOOTER Filed Jan. 22, 1962 INVJA/TUL Z0013 Z. A/y/dr United States Patent 3,153,543 RQLLER SKATE AND SKI CGMBINATIUN SCQUTER Louis L. Magyar, 5609 Inaglen Way, Los Angeies, Calif. Filled Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,536 6 Claims. (Cl. 288-713) The invention relates to a toy vehicle and more particularly to a unique combination of a wheeled scooter and ski runner arrangement.

The herein disclosed invention relates primarily to a unique adapation of a childs vehicle toy which initially combines a generally planar supporting element with wheel members on the front and rear thereof. In toy vehicles of this type, the vehicle operator places one foot on the scooter, supporting his Weight thereon, and pushes with the other foot to initiate and maintain the desired motion. Another feature of the disclosure is a novel mode of securing the operators shoe to the vehicle whereby, even though the vehicle operator should fall during operation, the securing means are so formed and arranged that the operators shoe becomes easily disassociated from the vehicle upon the application of any twisting torque or the like to the shoe, thereby avoiding potential danger and injury (to the operator.

Additionally, the vehicle arrangement is provided with a selectably combinable runner which is uniquely mounted on the arrangement to readily convert the vehicle into one that is easily usable on ice and snow or the like. Specifically, the vehicle in combination with the runner provides a novel mounting arrangement adapted to absorb impact stresses incidental to vehicle use on ice or snow, thereby limiting the possibility of accidental runner disassociation from the vehicle and again aiding in the avoiding of accidental injury of the vehicle operator.

With the above relatively broad concept in mind, the disclosed invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following specification and to the associated drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a typical embodiment of the vehicle;

FIGURE 1a is a fragmentary perspective, partially exploded view of a portion of the shoe clamping arrangement;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1 with the illustrated operators shoe removed therefrom; 7

FIGURE 4 is a partially phantom, side elevational view of the structure with the snow runner attached thereto;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective, partially phantom, enlarged view of a typical wheel element;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the runner element shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective View of a supporting member associated with the arrangement; and

FIGURE 8 is a partially phantom sectional view taken approximately along lines 88 of FIGURE 7.

Describing the invention in detail and directing attention initially to FIGURE 1, it will be understood that the basic combination includes a main, longitudinally extended supponting element 2 which may be of any suitable material. It is satisfactory, however, to make the element 2 of an appropriate wood board. The element 2 is of generally uniform dimension, it being preferred that the front end thereof be arced upwardly as at 4 to provide a smooth, round protuberance which avoids catching or the like during vehicle use. Turning to FIGURE 5, it will be noted that a typical wheel element comprises an axle 6 having at opposed ends thereof, rollably mounted wheels 8 and 10. The wheels 8 and 10 may be of any conventional ball bearing variety or the like. The shaft 6 has projecting upwardly opposed mounting plates 12 and 14 which, as best seen in FIG- URES 1 and 2, provide means for mounting the wheel member to the underside of the support element 2 via bolt means 16 or the like. It will be understood that one wheeled member is located adjacent the rear of the supporting element 2 while a second is located adjacent the front of the support element 2 and that the operators shoe or foot is preferably positioned intermediate the wheel members.

Directing attention specifically to FIGURES 1, 1a and 3 inclusive, it will be noted that a novel mode of clamping the operators shoe to the vehicle is here disclosed. Specifically, a first member 20 is provided with a central cavity 22 formed therein, said cavity being preferably defined between the member 20 and the related surface of the supporting element 2. The cavity is provided with a configuration accommodating a snug telescopic fit of the toe portion of a vehicle operators shoe as is shown in FIGURE 1. The first member 20 is mounted .to the support element 2 via a screw or pin 24 located adjacent the front edge of the member 20. The screw element or pin 24 provides the only positive connection between the member 20 and supporting element 2 and thus forms a pivotal mounting for the member 20. It will be understood, however, that the screw element 24 sufliciently holds the member 20 to the element 2 so that there is a certain amount of friction therebetween whereby the member 20 is normally held in the position illustrated and a degree of pressure is required to induce the member 20 to pivot about pin 24 in either direction and as shown by the arrows in FIGURE 3.

Rearwardly of the member 20, the element 2 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 26 most clearly shown in FIGURES 1a and 3. The slot 26 is in longitudinal alignment with the heretofore mentioned pin 24 and preferably centrally of the base plate of the supporting element 2. Additionally, the slot is provided with a plurality of communicating holes 28 which extend through the element 2, said holes 28 being longitudinally aligned within the slot 26.

A supporting plate 30 is appropriately sized for snug but movable reception within the slot 26, said supporting plate 31) having at one end thereof an aperture 32 which may be arranged to receive a bolt element 34, the latter being selectively positionable within the openings 28 in the supporting element 2. A Wing nut 36 threadably cooperates with the bolt 34 to lockingly position the support plate 30 in any one of a desired plurality of locations within the slot 26.

To complete the shoe clamping arrangement, the supporting plate 3t carries on its upper side thereof a clamping member 46?, the latter being pivotally mounted as at 42 to the support plate 30. Again, the pin 42 accommodates transverse rotation of the clamping plate 40 upon the application of an appropriate force thereto. However, it will be understood that the pin 42 secures the clamping member 40 relatively firmly to the plate 39, whereby friction normally holds the clamping plate 40 in the desired position illustrated. Additionally, the plate 49 is provided with an arcuate front face 44 so formed and arranged as to provide a bearing area with the rear portion of the vehicle operators shoe heel as is shown at 46 in FIGURE 1.

of the vehicle. However, in the event the operator should fall or should otherwise become entangled with the vehicle, the pressure of the shoe in a direction transverse to the supporting plate 2 will induce pivotal motion of the members 2% and 40, thus quickly disconnecting the vehicle from the operators foot and thereby avoiding accidental injury to the operator.

Directing attention to FIGURES l, 2, 7 and 8, it will be understood there is provided a supporting element 59 which comprises opposed parallel attaching flanges 52 and 54 integrally interconnected by a generally U-shape plate 56. The plate 56 extends downwardly from the flanges 52 and 54 to add strength and rigidity to the member 56 and provide appropriate clearance for the relocation of the supporting plate 30 as above described. In view of the fact that the operators entire weight is carried by the supporting plate 2 intermediate the end mounted wheel members, the supporting element 50 provides appropriate rigidity to the supporting element in the area of the maximum weight application, thus avoiding accidental breakage of the vehicle as well as providing the mentioned clearance. The support element of course, may be secured to the element 2 in any appropriate manner as, for example, by the screws 58.

Directing attention to FIGURE 6, it will be seen that there is disclosed a longitudinally extending ski or runner element indicated generally at dd. The runner element comprises a lower planar section 62 having at one end thereof an upwardly and inwardly arced supporting element 64 having an integral reduced size upwardly projecting pin or tongue 66. Porwardly, the runner element 62 is smoothly curved upwardly as at 68 in the form of a leading edge of a ski and is folded back over on itself as at 78 to provide strength and rigidity in this area in the event the vehicle operation results in the striking of a stone or other objects during use. Additionally, an integral upwardly projecting element 72 having smaller dimension pin or tongue member 74 thereon is carried immediately adjacent the front portion of the runner.

Spring elements 76 and 78 are secured to the inner side of the runner plate 62. and project upwardly therefrom. The elements '76 and 78 each comprise pairs of spring clips Sit, 8d and 82, 82. T he elements 82, 82 are appropriately mounted cantilever springs and are arced to conform generally to the cylindrical characteristics of the wheel members earlier described. The spring plates fit), $9 are also cantilever elements having apertures 84 therein, the apertures 84 being operative to receive projecting ends 88 of the Wheel shafts 6.

Returning to FlGUi ES 1 to 4, it will be noted that opposed ends of the supporting element 2 are appro priately slot-ted as at 9% and 92. It will be understood that the slots 9% and 92 are appropriately sized for firm reception of the pins or tongues 66 and '74 of the ski element 6%. Thus, and as is shown in FIGURE 4, the ski element oil may be appropriately mounted to the supporting plate 2 by the reception of the pins or tongues '66 and 74- in the slots t t and 9-2 and concurrently therewith the spring engagement of the elements 76 and 7% with the related wheel members. It may be seen in PlGURE 6 that the runner element is formed'with shoulders $3 adjacent the tongues 66 and '74 to abut the bottom side of the supporting element 2 when the runner element is installed. As a result of this construction, the ski element 68 is appropriately and firmly afiixed to the supporting plate2 in such a manner as to provide desired longitudinal and transverse stability during all conditions of operation.

Specifically, the curved cantilever portion 64 at the ear end of the skate combines with the folded section '73 at the front end of the skate to effectively strengthen v the points of pin or tongue connectiomespecially from forces applied longitudinally of the arrangement. It will be apparent that longitudinal forces are those most frequently encountered in use of the arrangement on snow or ice, and the strength effect of the portion 64 and the folded section '7 tl resist such force application, thus effectively preventing accidental disassociation of the ski element 6% from the base element 2.

Again, the clamping arrangement for the operators shoe will be effective to provide simple disengagement in the event of a fall or the like during operation of the arrangement as a ski.

It will thus be apparent that the disclosed vehicle, specifically by virtue of the novel mounting arrangement, adds greatly to the utility of the toy arrangement by virtue of the selectable combination of the unit with a ski runner.

The invention as described is by way of illustration and not limitation and may be subject to various modifications without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a skate-ski vehicle combination,

a generally planar supporting element,

a first pair of wheels secured to the underside of the supporting element and adjacent the front end thereof, second pair of wheels secured to the underside of the supporting element and adjacent the rear edge tlereof,

a reinforcing member secured to the underside of the supporting element intermediate the ends thereof, demountable runner means comprising an elongated sliding surface having upwardly projecting pin segments at opposed ends thereof,

said segments being located in angular relation to the sliding surface,

slot means in the supporting element receiving said pin means,

spring means carried by the runner means to flexibly and clampingly receive said wheels,

and shoe clamp means secured to the upper side of said supporting element and comprising first and second spaced members mounted for pivotal movement on said supporting element.

2. A skate-ski vehicle combination according to claim wherein said reinforcing member comprises a generally U-shaped segment projecting downwardly from the undersurface of the supporting element,

said second clamp member comprising a supporting plate receivable in a slot in said support element,

a plurality of openings extending through the support element and communicating with said slot,

bolt means to selectively position the support plate in said slot and to said openings,

said second clamp member being pivotally carried by said support plate in longitudinal alignment with the first of said clamp members.

3. In a toy vehicle,

an elongated supporting element having a longitudinal slot,

motion accommodating means connected to the support element and extending therebelow,

a first shoe-engaging member mounted on said element and having a cavity to receive the toe of a vehicle operators shoe,

a support plate received in said slot of the element,

a second shoe-engaging member in the form of a heel clamping plate mounted on said support plate, and means including pin means and said slot in the support plate and element, respectively, accommodating variable positioning of the second member relative to the first member, said first member being pivotally mounted on said element and said second member being pivotally mounted on said support plate so as to accommodate release of the operators shoe upon application of force 5 to the shoe in angular relation to the long axis of the element.

4. In a device of the character described,

an elongated supporting element,

means on said element to releasably engage a users shoe,

a forward axle mounted on the underside of said element,

a forward pair of laterally spaced wheels mounted on said forward axle,

a rearward axle mounted on the underside of said element,

a rearward pair of laterally spaced wheels mounted on said rearward axle,

a runner adapted to extend longitudinally of said element under both of said pairs of wheels in releasable engagement at its opposite ends with the element,

forwardly and rearwardly paired means extending upward from said runner to engage said forward wheels and rearward wheels respectively forwardly and rearwardly of the wheels,

and forward paired means and rearward paired means extending upward from said runner to engage the opposite ends of said two axles respectively.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said runner is a metal band formed with tongues of reduced width at its opposite ends,

and in which said element has transverse slots near its 5 opposite ends to receive. said tongues respectively.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said runner has shoulders adjacent said tongues to abut the bottom side of said element.

10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,005,683 Bowers et a1. Oct. 10, 1911 1,079,201 Wise Nov. 18, 1913 2,253,012 Benner et al Aug. 19, 1941 15 2,443,699 Swain June 22, 1948 2,530,240 Graham Nov. 14, 1950 2,950,119 Gernbruch Aug. 23, 1960 3,009,710 Marker Nov. 21, 1961 20 FOREIGN PATENTS 204,938 Austria Aug. 25, 1959 547,868 Germany Apr. 15, 1932 1,090,051 France Oct. 13, 1954 

1. IN A SKATE-SKI VEHICLE COMBINATION, A GENERALLY PLANAR SUPPORTING ELEMENT, A FIRST PAIR OF WHEELS SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SUPPORTING ELEMENT AND ADJACENT THE FRONT END THEREOF, A SECOND PAIR OF WHEELS SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SUPPORTING ELEMENT AND ADJACENT THE REAR EDGE THEREOF, A REINFORCING MEMBER SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SUPPORTING ELEMENT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, DEMOUNTABLE RUNNER MEANS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED SLIDING SURFACE HAVING UPWARDLY PROJECTING PIN SEGMENTS AT OPPOSED ENDS THEREOF, SAID SEGMENTS BEING LOCATED IN ANGULAR RELATION TO THE SLIDING SURFACE, SLOT MEANS IN THE SUPPORTING ELEMENT RECEIVING SAID PIN MEANS SPRING MEANS CARRIED BY THE RUNNER MEANS TO FLEXIBLY AND CLAMPINGLY RECEIVE SAID WHEELS, AND SHOE CLAMP MEANS SECURED TO THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT AND COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED MEMBERS MOUNTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ON SAID SUPPORTING ELEMENT. 